Q: My nephew, who is a medical student in the US, will soon complete his studies.

We have heard that some visa concessions have been granted to medical professionals who are willing to work in underserved areas.

Does this mean that he will have to work in some back of beyond place in order to stay on in the States'

Ravi Chatterjee

A: Medical students chasing the great American dollar dream have reasons to celebrate.

In the final session of the109th US Congress, legislators extended authorisation of the J-1 visa waiver programme (better known as Conrad-30) which allows international medical graduates trained in US medical colleges to stay back in the US after training.

The programme has been extended by two years to June 30, 2008.

Under the J-1 visa regime, foreign doctors must return to their home countries for a minimum period of two years after completing their studies before re-applying for another visa of permanent residence in the US.

In 1994, the Congress allowed a waiver of this requirement for medical practitioners who were willing to practise for a minimum of three years in underserved areas.

Incidentally, some of the major metropolitan cities like Los Angeles and Las Vegas also fall in the underserved category and allow J-1 doctors to work in an urban environment.

So if your nephew is lucky, he may not get posted to some back of beyond place.

Incidentally, the H-1C programme which allows 500 foreign nurses — 25 in each state — to work in underserved areas in the US has also been re-authorised for another three years.

Cracking the AIIMS entrance

Q: I wish to take the AIIMS entrance test. Please give me details regarding notification dates, examination centres and application forms.

Anusuya Dasgupta

A: All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi will conduct the entrance exam for its MBBS course on June 1, 2007. Forms can be obtained from the Asst Controller of Examination, Examination Section, AIIMS, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi-110029 by February 15, 2007 and from designated SBI offices (Cash: Rs 500 and Rs 400 for SC/ST).The exam will be held at Delhi, Calcutta, Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai. For more details, log on to www.aiims.edu.

Eligibility: 10+2 (physics, chemistry, biology and English, 60 per cent).

Age: 17 years minimum (on December 31, 2007)

The application deadline is February 23, 2007.

Shine with a computer applications degree

Q: want to do an MCA after I graduate. How can I get admitted to the MCA course and what is the scope of the course'

Ganesh Kumar Shaw

A: Current prospects for qualified software professionals are excellent and are likely to remain promising in the years to come.

An MCA degree from a reputed university is considered on a par with a BE/BTech for well-paying jobs in software. Expertise and flair in technologies such as mobile computing, embedded or telecom software, VLSI Design, GPS and information security should boost your prospects further.

Although the course content may vary from one varsity to another, the core structure remains the same. Typically, you will learn all about operating systems, database design and management, systems analysis, MIS, modelling and simulation techniques, digital image processing, the structure of programming languages, networks, some elements of hardware and management.

The eligibility for admission to MCA courses (as mandated by AICTE) is a bachelors degree in any discipline with maths in 10+2 or a bachelors degree (at least 3 years) in any discipline with mathematics as one of the subjects.

Most universities require a minimum 50 per cent aggregate although some ask for 60 per cent.

MCA is offered at over 1,000 (1,012 and still counting) colleges and institutions in the country with a total intake of over 54,000 seats. However, since the number of seats in each course is small (30-35), the competition for the premier institutions is very stiff.

Admission to MCA programmes at the IITs is through a Joint Admission Test (JAM) conducted by IIT-Roorkee.

Central/Deemed Universities conduct their own MCA entrance exams while state governments conduct a Common Entrance Test for admission to institutes within their states.

Private institutes admit students through their respective state level Common Entrance Test or hold their own entrance test.